Man banned from Cornwall for ten years after stalking TV presenter Fern Britton

An “obsessive” fan has been banned from entering Cornwall for ten years for a “prolonged” and “well-researched stalking campaign” against TV presenter Fern Britton, sending her flowers and staying at her holiday cottage.

James Haviland, of Great Oaks Chase, Chineham, Basingstoke, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to stalking the Celebrity Big Brother star without causing fear, alarm or distress between November 20, 2021 and September 16, 2023, in the Wadebridge area of ​​North Cornwall. .

Kerry Richardson, prosecuting, told Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court that in November 2021 Haviland sent Ms Britton a bouquet of red roses titled Love Letter with a card that read: “I think you’re amazing”, with a additional note inside that read: “You are beautiful, stay safe, keep smiling.

“PS: I’m sure you get this stuff all the time.”

The 63-year-old then placed an order for a Get Well Soon bouquet of flowers costing £57 in June 2022, but did not complete the order.

Ms Richardson said that in June 2023 she then sent flowers and a card saying ‘Well done on the run’, followed a month later by flowers and a birthday card which read: ‘Happy birthday years, hope you have a great day” and was signed “Jim” with a kiss.

The prosecutor said Ms Britton made inquiries with the florist who sent the flowers and was given the defendant’s name.

She added: “Last September her holiday cottage was let to a single man.

“Ms Britton went to the holiday home to check the occupant was OK.

“Talking to the occupant, who is Mr. Haviland, she recognizes his face, he mentioned to her about changing the reservation, about the next time he would bring his bike and take nice pictures.

“When she goes back to her home address and checks the reservation and sees that the reservation is Jim Haviland’s name that matches the card and the flowers.

“Consequently, she reported the matter to the police.”

Ms Richardson described how police and Ms Britton went to the holiday home and found Mr Haviland was sleeping in the attic room rather than the master bedroom and had placed a stool under an open Velux window which it faced the TV star’s house, which she said. it was a “concern”.

She added: “Mr Haviland has stayed in the vicinity and in the same village where Ms Britton lives on three separate occasions and has stayed in north Cornwall on a number of occasions.”

She continued that police found a screenshot of Ms Britton on his phone and a photo of her with another person, but with that person cropped out of the picture.

In her victim impact statement read to the court, Ms Britton, who did not attend the hearing, said: “It worries me, I wish he would stop before he does more.

“There’s a point where I know this is inappropriate and I wonder what his end game is here?

“Last night, for example, I didn’t sleep well, I was worried about it and I think about my personal safety.

“It’s not nice, I question my online presence, I moved to Cornwall to escape this level of recognition and intrusion.

“This brought back memories of being constantly followed by journalists, photographers and strange people.

“I don’t want to be hypervigilant again. I’m not a party person who goes out to showbiz events.

“I’ve integrated into the area, I’m part of village life and I don’t want this to change.

“I have the right to live a pleasant, pleasant and carefree life.”

Sentencing Haviland, District Judge Stephen Apted said Haviland had caused the former This Morning presenter “distress and anxiety” through his “prolonged campaign” of stalking.

As well as the restraining order, the defendant was handed a 12-month community order requiring him to carry out 12 rehabilitation sessions and 150 hours of unpaid work and told to pay a victim surcharge of £114 and court costs of 85 pounds.

Mr Apted said: “It has been a protracted campaign.

“That campaign took the form of sending unsolicited flowers and cards to Ms Britton’s home address after learning where she lived, was staying in the same village, making bookings and staying at her holiday home.

“There is the implication, and I accept it is only an implication, that you pursued it.

“This was a pre-planned and well-researched stalking campaign.

“I reject your claim that this was a series of coincidences, you became obsessed with your victim and it was clear from her victim impact statement that your actions caused her distress and anxiety.”

The restraining order requires Haviland not to directly or indirectly contact Ms Britton, enter Cornwall County or take any photographs of her.

Ed Stott, defending, said Haviland first saw Ms Britton in November 2021 while taking photographs in north Cornwall for his portfolio he had been working on since retiring in 2017 to be accredited with the Royal Photographic Society .

He said: “That’s how his first contact came about and shortly after that he falls in love with the celebrity, acted on it and described it in a sort of escapist way and sends some flowers shortly after that. “

Mr Stott added that Haviland, a married father, had placed a stool next to the Velux window because he wanted to open it and denied stalking Ms Britton.

He continued: “He is embarrassed by his behavior and devastated by the effect it has had on his family.”

Follow STV News on WhatsApp

Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country